Upon A Midnight Dreary
by CleopatraVII
Summary: Kurt takes a latenight walk, and comes back to find Ororo waiting for him in the kitchen. He refuses to speak, and she can tell that something is obviously wrong... plz R&R!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Giving this random idea a try… Please review!

Chapter 1

Nightcrawler, or Kurt Wagner, decided to take a late-night stroll. Carefully slipping into a pair of rag-tag jeans he had begged off of Logan and an old circus shirt (dirty and crumpled), he pulled on his currently most prized possession: his visual enhancer. It was a small watch- cheap looking to minimize its chances of getting stolen- but it had an extra small button on the top, that, when pressed, cast a holographic image cloaking his normal appearance. His new appearance was a model of himself, only pale skinned and black haired, without all of the religious scars (much to his disliking; he felt naked without his religious scars), but Kurt still had to wrap his tail around one leg to keep it hidden.

Glancing over his shoulder into the quiet darkness of Xavier's School for the Gifted, Kurt teleported himself outside the wrought iron gates of the school. Hunching his shoulders forward, he headed down the street, eyes locked on his feet.

He continued in this particular manner for a while. Oblivious to the world around him, the mutant failed to notice the van creeping behind him, engine barely making a noise. Kurt's sensitive ears finally picked up the sound of air whistling around something quickly, and he turned around quickly in time to barely register the baseball bat swinging towards his head before…

****

WHACK!

He collapsed in slow motion to the cement, his eyes rolling upwards.

~*~*~*~

Storm sat at the table in the kitchen, nursing a cup of hot chocolate, which really could no longer be called "hot" chocolate. She had been sitting up for hours, waiting for Kurt to come through the door. His room being next to her, she had heard him moving around. After his footsteps had ceased, she crept to his room and slowly opened the door (being the trusting soul he was, Kurt never locked his door) only to discover that he had gone. Storm stood in his doorway, staring at Kurt's unmade bed and barren room.

Now she sat at the table, waiting anxiously for Nightcrawler's return…

~*~*~*~

__

Bamf.

The sound of imploding air was surprisingly loud in the silent kitchen. Nightcrawler's footsteps echoed slightly off the white walls. As the echoing footsteps drew slowly closer, Storm suddenly awoke. She was still at the table; still weakly grasping her nearly iced chocolate.

"Wha…?" Ororo muttered quietly, momentarily confused. Then reality brought her back, and she stood up quickly. "Kurt!" she cried, her voice mingled with surprise, joy, and stern-ness.

Kurt stood there, looking down at the floor, and didn't answer. His shoulders were slouched more so then usual, his eyes were closed, and his head was hanging down onto on his chest. Nightcrawler stood motionless, his 6' 5" frame looking much more like barely over 3 feet.

Storm surveyed the mutant in front of her, concern slowly spreading through her form. "Kurt? Are…are you okay?"

No response.

"Kurt? Kurt, sweetheart, are you okay?" she asked, inwardly wincing for calling him a pet name. "What's wrong? Kurt?"

Kurt still didn't answer to her, though he did begin to tremble slightly. Gentle shivers shook his profile, and made it (after the stillness) impossible for Ororo to miss.

"Oh, Kurt…" Ororo sighed soothingly, then stepped forward and wrapped him into a hug. His arms went around her lightly, but there was no force in his hug, and he didn't really return it. It was rather like hugging an ex-lover, she thought, hugging him closer still.

The trembles increased intensity a bit more, but Nightcrawler still didn't return the hug. His eyes still closed and his head still bowed, Storm hugged him intensely, trying to get a response from him- any response.

Storm finally looked up at him, her eyes struggling to make out his face in the darkness. He still had his appearance modifier turned on, and she carefully turned it off, preferring his true look to the image Professor X had created. 

She stared at his blue face, which was nearly lost in the gloom of the kitchen. Gentle rain had begun to patter at the windows, echoing her feelings. She couldn't see his yellow eyes; they were clamped tightly shut. 

"Dear Kurt," she murmured, "you don't have to be afraid of me. I… I love you."

No tightening of his arms or any other response came from the man she wanted more than the world. Thunder rumbled lowly overhead.

Putting a hand under his chin, she lifted his head lightly, and moved her head closer. "Please, Kurt." Then she gently pressed her lips to his.

The trembling briefly increased, then tapered off. Nightcrawler didn't, much to Storm's disappointment, return the kiss in anyway. 

She kissed him harder, then pulled away slowly, rain banging on the windows to echo the emptiness in the pit of her stomach.

Just as she was ready to run up the stairs and away from this rejection, his arms suddenly tightened. Nightcrawler lowered his head quickly, and kissed her neck tenderly. _Well, this is differ—_Storm thought, but froze as Nightcrawler opened his eyes and stared at her, grinning wickedly. _His pupils! Goddess, they're… _

Nightcrawler leaned back to her neck, and sunk his pointed teeth into the soft flesh. Blood dripped down her neck, and he gnashed his teeth harder, worrying the wound like a dog. Lightning flashed outside of the windows, and thunder boomed. Ignoring this, Kurt's tail suddenly swung, taking the baseball bat he had been hit with earlier out from behind him and whipping it with surprising force at Ororo's head. 

****

CRACK!

Storm staggered. _His pupils…_

Down she sank to the floor, Nightcrawler grinning at her, his teeth bloody.

__

…they're dilated…

Nightcrawler leaned over and picked her unconscious form up roughly.

__

Bamf.

~*~*~*~

By the time the rest of the school was awake, mutterings of rumors were already whispered through the halls. The new elf dude, Nightsomething, and the sexiest teacher in school were gone, or so it seemed. No one knew where they were, and most of the children (having suspected that Prof. Ororo had the hots for the new guy) thought they had left together. 

"Where are they?" Scott asked to no one in particular.

"I do not know, Cyclops. They certainly did leave together, that much I know, but I cannot trace them." Professor X said, making Scott jump.

Logan arrived and raised an eyebrow. "That's a bad thing, right?"

A/N: The "dilated pupils" refers to the comic adaptation of X2… I think that's it… More to come, please review! Reviews are a gooooood thing… and yes, I except flames :P But I would prefer normal reviews lol. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews! Here's a bit more, and these people are not mine (dang!)…

Chapter 2

__

He was standing in the kitchen at the mansion; his newest home. A figure was slumped over the kitchen table, apparently asleep on it's arm. 

Nightcrawler began to walk closer to the figure, his footsteps heavy and mechanical. He tried to stop himself; tried to turn around, but to no avail. He had lost control of his body, but he was still in some desolate part of his mind, wide-awake, but utterly helpless. He tried to call out to the figure, which had begun to stir, before he paused at the figure's side.

The figure sat up, and Nightcrawler felt a sinking in his stomach- it was Storm.

Storm called out to him, but his eyes were closed, shutting him out completely. In his room, Kurt kicked and screamed, knowing what little it would do. The only minor sign of his attempts was the mild trembling of his body. He was just as aware of the trembling as he was aware of the rain pattering outside. He could hear Storm's voice, but it was very distant and muffled; he could hardly make out a word. All he could do was try to increase the gentle shaking.

Then, for one glorious moment, he had felt Storm's arms (however distantly, he had still felt them) and he had heard her softly whisper "I love you…" in his ear. The words he had dreamt of saying to her, and she had finally said them to him. He froze, love wrenching his heart, and the horrid urges taking over his body prevailed in the losing battle Kurt had been fighting ever since he found himself in the kitchen. 

Nightcrawler felt her lips against his, pressing hard. He tried to react, but the control hold over his body was complete; he couldn't even produce a shiver. Instead, his arms reached up as his face dipped down. Kurt felt her soft, mocha-colored skin beneath his lips, and longed for the ability to sigh. This was a sin, even more so since he couldn't stop it. 

Fear flashed briefly across his mind; what if his body forced him to…to couple with Storm? But all of his fears disappeared as his teeth sank into her neck, tearing at fragile nerve endings. He hadn't bitten anyone in years, and even when he had, it had been in defense.

His tail swung the bat, and his lovely Storm collapsed. His body leaned over and picked her up, and they teleported.
    
    ~*~*~*~

"Ach, my head!" Nightcrawler moaned, rolling over. His head pounded, and he gently knead his indigo temples. He did this for a while before realized something: he was doing it of his own free will. He leapt off the bed, and stared around. 

He was in a small concrete, square room. Light filtered in through a small, barred window at the far side of the room. Through it, Kurt could see green grass. Instantly, he tried to teleport.

****

ZZAAAPP!

Kurt's world was replaced by only white-hot pain, ripping at his every cell. He screamed out, and found that he was in a fetal position on the floor, his tail twitching uncontrollably as his arms spasmed. Gasping for breath, his hands sought out a metal collar that was around his throat. 

He recognized it from his previous captivity- a teleportation inhibitor. Now fear seeped through his marrow. "Storm? Are…are you zhere? Are you anyvare vithin hearing distance?" he called out softly, his German accent thicker then ever. "Anyvone? Professor Xavier? Anyvone?" _Apparently not…_ he thought.

Getting down on his knees, Kurt Wagner began to pray.

~*~*~*~

Hours later, his prayers were interrupted by the clanging of a door. He paused and looked up, only to see a man covered in black from head to foot apparently staring down at him. "Can I help you?" Kurt asked conversationally. 

"Get up, mutie." 

"Nein, I don't zhink so… I much prefer praying, zhank you."

"Get. Up."

"Ach, nein… Vhy should I?" Kurt was even shocking himself with his sudden bravado. 

The black-clad man stared down at him, then raised a gun and pointed it at Nightcrawler's heart. "Wanna get up now?"

Kurt laughed bitterly. "Vhat do I haff to lose?" he asked, looking up at the man, completely ignoring the gun threatening him so simply. He even spread his arms out for effect.

"How about that little number you came in with?"

"Storm?! Don't…you…dare…touch…her." All lilting humor was gone from his voice. "Please, don't hurt her."

"Then get up."

Kurt glared at the man, then muttered, "Lord, protect my soul, as vell as Storm's." before slowly rising up. He stood and lowered his eyes. "Now. I haff done eet. Vhat do you vant?!" His accent became thicker with each word; he was no longer sure how easily the man could understand him, nor did he care.

The man chuckled. "This." With that, he raised the butt of his gun and swung it at Kurt. 

Automatically, giving into pure instinct, Kurt tried to teleport. "AAAAUUGH!" he screamed, collapsing.

"This is too easy." The man said, then brought the butt of his gun down on the mutant's temple, knocking him out instantly.

~*~*~*~

__

Bamf.

Nightcrawler was inside of the mansion. He glanced around the kitchen, and, upon seeing a lack of people, he continued through the house. 

~*~*~*~

"Hey! The Elf is here!" Logan's gruff voice called out. "Jesus effin' Christ, what the hell happened to you?"

Kurt was a mess. A notable ring of pinkened flesh was around his neck where the inhibitor had been. Blood matted the hair at his left temple, and the temple itself was swollen grotesquely. He had a noticeable limp, and his tail hung lifelessly on the floor behind him. "I…I…" Kurt stammered, then he broke down. His shoulders shook horribly, and he put a two-fingered hand to his face.

"Hey…hey… C-come on now… we'll talk to Wheels, 'kay?" Logan asked, trying to comfort the blue mutant in front of him.

"Nein…nein… I-I cannot…it vas… it vas so… so horrid!" Nightcrawler cried out, his shoulders shaking. He turned, and ran to the back door and into the courtyard.

Logan watched him for a moment before following him. He had smelt something…odd… on the Elf, and he didn't like it. Hesitantly, Logan staked out Nightcrawler's hiding spot- a tree. He climbed up, and sat next to the blue man.

"It vas terrible…" Nightcrawler choked out.

"I think we've established that. So," Logan sighed, "wanna tell me what happened?"

Nightcrawler shuddered visibly. "Zey haff Ororo."

Logan's eyebrow shot up and nearly disappeared into his hairline. "_Who_ has Ororo?"

"Meester—AAAGH!" Nightcrawler began, then clutched onto his left wrist. "Ach…ach… I am sorry, Herr Volverine, but... ach…I cannot tell you." he said softly, tears of pain (physical and mental) streaming down his face in long rivers.

"What…the hell…was that?" Wolverine asked, eyebrows having completely disappeared into his hair. 

"It vas... zey are giving me a sh-sh-shot! ACH!" Nightcrawler grabbed onto his arm, and collapsed out of the tree. He lay on the ground, shuddering weakly, still clutching his arm.

"Woah." Wolverine jumped down and knelt beside the blue man. "That hurt, didn't it?"

Kurt nodded his head weakly, eyes clamped shut.

"Uhm…d'ya think Wheels could help? You know, do the psychic mind reading… thingy?"

"N-nein. I… am…so… s-s-sorry…" With that, Kurt let himself fade into the darkness that had been threatening to take him since the first wave of pain from his wrist. He had a final glance at Logan's concerned features, then…

…then there was only darkness and pain…

A/N: Thanks for reading thus far! Hope this chappy was as good as the previous! Evil Kurt…hmm, lets see what's wrong with his arm, say what? Muahaha… Please review! 


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Glad y'all liked that one! Not mine! Please review!

Chapter 3

No one stood in Wolverine's way as he carried Kurt to Kurt's barren room. Once there, he gently (gently for Wolverine at least) plopped the blue mutant down on the bed, then poured him a glass of water from the pitcher on the bed stand and set it next to the pitcher for easy access. Other than a bookshelf lined with different bibles (and, strategically placed here and there between the religious readings was the occasional western book, situated so it seemed they were there by accident to any onlooker), posters from the Munich Circus, and a straight-backed wooden chair, there really wasn't anything personal of the mutant's. A few candles flickered near the window, but, as opposed to making the room cheery, they seemed to make the place somehow more forlorn looking. 

As Nightcrawler tossed fitfully in his sleep, Logan grabbed a book from the shelf (Guns 'n' Roses), lit a fire in the fireplace, and sat down in the chair where he began to read.

~*~*~*~

He awoke some hours later, neck stiff, and a blanket carefully tucked around his shoulders. Logan stood up, wincing as his joints creaked, and turned. 

Kurt sat on the windowsill (_hunched_ on the windowsill; it was a very small sill, and Kurt was nearly 6' 3"- not that anyone could tell by looking at him; he always hunched) with tears shining on his face, reflected in the pale moonlight. As Wolverine watched, a large tear slowly spilled from Nightcrawler's eye, and trickled down his cheek, partially obstructed by Kurt's raised scars.

"Tell me." Logan said softly.

Kurt shuddered briefly, then looked away from the window to Wolverine. He smiled softly. "It vas the best of times, it vas the vorst of times…" he recited. Having gotten that out of his system, and upon seeing Logan's famous raised eyebrow, he wiped his face. "Fine, Herr Volverine. Tell you I shall." 

Wolverine settled onto Kurt's bed (neatly made by this point) and prepared for a tale.

"I vent out for a valk, but as I vas valking, a van pulled up, und an arm reached out from it… Next thing I knew, I vas strapped down, staring up at Meester AAAAAAAH!" Great waves of pain rolled through Kurt's bloodstream, making him spasm horribly.

"What? What? What's the matter!? How can I help you? SPEAK, ELF! SPEAK!" Logan yelled, crouching at Kurt's side.

The pain abated after several minutes, and Kurt lay on the ground, moaning softly. "Herr Volverine," he said quietly, "it seems I cannot tell you. Zey haff made it impossible…"

Logan stood looking down at the mutant, his face screwed up in concentration. He stood in that position for several minutes before reaching down and yanking Kurt to his feet. "C'mon, Elf, let's go to wheels." He said, and dragged Kurt bodily down the hallway to Professor Xavier's office.

~*~*~*~

"You are physically unable to tell Logan what happened?" Prof. X. asked Kurt, who was sitting across from him.

"Ja… I haff tried, but… it has not vorked." Kurt said, and lowered his eyes, obviously expecting a reprimand. Logan watched from a chair in the corned, in which he was lounging, pushed into the plush chair like a dog on a rug in front of a fireplace. "I am sorry." Kurt muttered, his eyes still averted.

"It is not a problem. Now, try to relax…" Xavier said softly, and locked his eyes with Kurt's.

Kurt, remembering Jean asking him to do the same when she was trying to figure out where Striker's base was, nodded his head briefly, and relaxed about two hairs. Technically, he was relaxed.

Logan raised an eyebrow and leaned forward in his chair to watch the professor attempt to read Elf's mind. He watched as Professor X leaned forward and squinted his eyes in concentration. He saw Kurt's eyes flutter and roll upwards before they closed. Wheels continued to squint his eyes before—

"GAAAH!" Xavier cried out, and fell out of his wheelchair.

"AAAACH!" Nightcrawler screamed, and, once again, collapsed to the floor. He didn't spasm though; he hit the ground and ceased all movements.

"Professor X!" Logan cried, and leapt to his side. He picked his mentor up and put him into the wheelchair.

Xavier leaned his head on his hand, then shook his head. "I cannot read your mind, Kurt. There is some form of an in…an…inhibi…inhibitor and LOGAN HELP HIM!" he cried, apparently realizing that Nightcrawler was not moving- at all. 

Logan leaned over and gingerly scooped Kurt's head into his hands. "Elf?" he asked. 

No response came.

"Elf?!" Logan cried out louder, and let his hands slide away from Kurt's head. Kurt's head slid back to the floor, and didn't move; his entire body was completely motionless. Logan noted with horror that even Kurt's sides were still- he wasn't breathing. "ELF!"

~*~*~*~

Professor Xavier and Wolverine rushed Nightcrawler's body to the emergency ward that was below the school. As they ran (or, in Xavier's case, wheeled) through the well lit, but somehow desolate halls, neither could help but wonder if it was too late. Both counted the seconds they were wasting trying to get Kurt to the little medical help they could offer.

~*~*~*~

__

"Unh…" Kurt moaned, his head throbbing where the butt of the gun had connected with his skull. He tried to reach over to massage it, but found that he couldn't- his arms were bound by metal bindings. "Vhat the…?" Nightcrawler muttered, then he tried to teleport…

…only to discover that he still was not allowed to teleport, and received a massive shock.

"GAAAH!" His nerves were turned inside out, then roasted mercilessly. The actual shocking was over in an instant, but his nerves continued jump horribly.

The jangling stopped, or rather the jangling slowly tapered off, and Nightcrawler saw a familiar face standing over him, a long needle in his hands glinting in the fluorescent lights.

"You!" Kurt cried in outrage. "Vhat haff you done to Ororo?!"

The person leaned over and sank the needle into Kurt's neck. As the mutant struggled against his bindings, she whispered, "You'll find out soon enough, my son…"

Kurt froze. "I am no son of yours… it is impossible! Nein, nein!" he spat, panic wracking his bones.

His captor smiled and leaned forward again. She calmly opened her mouth and 

"CLEAR!"

__

Another massive shock rolled through Nightcrawler, this one starting at his chest.

"COME ON, YOU BLEEDIN' ELF! I FRICKEN SAID 'CLEAR'!"

The fluorescent lights flicked briefly, then Kurt Wagner found himself staring into Professor X's concerned face. The blue mutant moaned, then tried to sit up.

"I wouldn't suggest that, Mr. Wagner. I will have Logan carry you to your room where you are to stay. in. bed. Is that clear?" 

"Ja." Kurt choked out, his voice weak.

Logan stepped forward. "Lets go, Elf." He said before carefully picking Nightcrawler up and carrying him back to his room. Kurt didn't resist; he was much too weak to even try.

Xavier watched them go in silence. He distinctly thought he heard Logan mutter, "You better carry me when I get weak, Elf…". He had caught flashes of Kurt's dream, and was left feeling very troubled inside. What had become of his poor Ororo, he still could not say.

A/N: Hey, anyone who knows and can correctly tell me who Kurt's mother is (based on the comics, etc.) gets to pop into the story as a mutant student! Sound good? Please R&R even if you don't know…


End file.
